


Stars

by Maeve_of_Winter



Category: The Trixie Belden Mysteries - Julie Campbell Tatham & Kathryn Kenny
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 18:37:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1993548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeve_of_Winter/pseuds/Maeve_of_Winter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan and Mart discuss geek literature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place before Happy Valley.
> 
> I welcome constructive criticism on all of my works. If you want to leave a comment, that's perfectly fine, but if you'd prefer to send a message, my email is goldphoenixrising@yahoo.com.

Mart and Brian arrive home in the late afternoon.

Instead of Trixie, it's Dan who's outside supervising Bobby. Brian and Mart exchange an exasperated glance; it never ceases to amaze how frequently Trixie manages to pawn Bobby off onto other people.

“Need any help?” Dan offers as he sees Brian and Mart unloading boxes from the trunk of Brian's car.

“Sure, thanks,” Mart says, handing him a box. Today was the last day of the Sleepyside Library's biannual book sale, and he and Brian were able to find some great deals.

Dan hefts the box. “Where should I put this?”

Mart grabs his last carton. “In my room. Here, I'll show you the way.”

He leads Dan up the staircase, grateful that his room is relatively neat. Unlike Trixie or Bobby's room, the floor is uncluttered and the closet is organized. Only the tabletop surfaces are littered with objects; piles of books, papers, and components of projects yet to be started. Mart still hasn't quite worked out where he's going to keep these new books.

He holds the bedroom door open, juggling the box in his arms, allowing Dan to go first. Unfortunately, Dan barely makes it three steps in the door before he trips and sprawls on the ground, the contents of his box scattering across the hardwood floor.

“Sorry about that,” Mart says sheepishly, kicking the cause of Dan's fall (a pair of sneakers) beneath his bed. Silently cursing his bad habit of leaving his shoes at the doorways, he offers Dan his hand.

But Dan isn't paying him any attention. Instead, he's scanning the fallen books all over the floor.

“Are you a sci-fi fan?” Dan asks, picking up one of the books and skimming the back summary.

Mart's face heats. Why did he have to hand Dan the box full of _Star Trek_ and _Star Wars_ titles rather than the box of classics? “I guess you could say that,” he says reluctantly.

He waits for the scorn, the stigma that accompanies enjoying stereotypically geeky books; someone as sophisticated as Dan is sure to smirk and shake his head at Mart's taste in fiction.

Instead, Dan smiles at him. His smile is dazzling, Mart can't help but notice; it lights up his entire face. “I really liked _Young Jedi Knights_ when I was in middle school.”

Mart blinks at this unexpected admission. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Dan holds up a copy of Zahn's _The Last Command_ , and then starts stacking the books back in the box. “And the Thrawn trilogy, with Mara Jade? That was awesome.”

“Ever read any _Trek_?” Mart asks casually, kneeling to help Dan.

Dan shakes his head. “Not much. I'm more familiar with the show. But I remember reading _Indistinguishable from Magic_ and thinking it was pretty good.”

“Really?” Mart glances at Dan. “Which show is your favorite?”

“ _Enterprise_ ,” Dan replies easily.

Mart stiffens.

A burst of laughter emits from Dan's throat. “Oh, man, the look on your face,” he manages, shaking his head. “Just kidding. I like _The Next Generation_."

After a moment, Mart chuckles along with him. “The original show will always be my favorite.”

Dan smiles at him again, and Mart can't help but think that it's an expression Dan should wear more often.

“Oh, hey, look at this.” Mart sees that Dan has happened across _Tales of the Bounty Hunters_ , and is thumbing through it.

“You've read it?” Mart inquires.

“It was one of my favorites.” Dan looks up, but he's gazing past Mart, as though seeing another scene besides the interior of Mart's bedroom.

But then he shrugs, and his eyes meet Mart's; his momentary reminiscence is evidently over. Only seconds pass as Mart holds his friend's glacier blue gaze, but he can't resist thinking that in this instant, they've begun to share something of much more significance.

“Would you like to borrow it?” Mart offers on a sudden impulse. “I can recommend some Star Trek novels, too, if you're interested.”

Dan grins at him, and Mart thinks that he would invite Dan to share the world with him if it would bring more of those brilliant smiles.


End file.
